Arrow releasing device



Dec. 20, 1960 .1. J. ARSENAULT ARROW RELEASING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 23, 1959 INVENTOR. JEflN J 425511400 #03 V AJHHF ATTORNEYS Dec. 20, 1960 i J. J. ARSENAULT 2,965,093

ARROW RELEASING DEVICE Filed Oct. 23, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F1612 Ila. \4-

use 11:, n? 44 IZL I N V EN TOR. J Z EAM J Alma/4a; T

ATTO/P/VEYJ v United States Patent F ARROW RELEASING DEVICE Jean J. Arsenault, 2 Crest Road E., Rolling Hills, Calif.

Filed Oct. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 848,258

3 Claims. (Cl. 124-35) The present invention relates to a device for facilitating the drawing of the bow string of a bow and relasing the arrow.

In the use of a bow and arrow, many individuals find it difficult to draw the bow string and hold the arrow in position against the tension of the bow string. Chafing of the fingers occurs after repeated drawing and releasing of the bow string and, although protective devices have been proposed for the fingers of the hand of the archer, such devices have not been wholly satisfactory for many reasons.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for releasing an arrow which is simple in structure, one completely automatic in operation from the drawing of the bow string 'to the release of the arrow, and one which is designed so that the arrow is released without deviation from the target due to slippage of the bow string from the device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for drawing a bow string and releasing an arrow which is simple in structure, one which may be manufactured in quantity at reasonable cost, and one which is highly effective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which: i

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device of the present invention; I

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the assembly shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1, the dotted line showing indicating the released position of the hook fingers of the device;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the device of the present invention;

- Figure 6 is a plan view of the assembly shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the device of the present invention;

Figure 9 is a view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a side elevational View of a further modified form of the present invention;

Figure 11 is a view taken on the line 11-1l of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of a still further form of the device of the present invention, showing the coc ing mech nism priorto being cocked;

Figure 13 is a view taken on the line 1313 of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a view of the assembly shown in Figures 12 and 13, in cocked position;

Figure 15 is a view taken on the line 15-15 of Figure 12;

J Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure .15, showing thehook fingers in released position;

2,965,093 Patented Dec. 20, 19,60

Figure 17 is a side elevational view of the support employed in the device of the form of the invention shown in Figures 12 to 16;

Figure 18 is a side elevational view of the bar member employed with the form of the invention shown in Figures 12 to 16, inclusive;

Figure 19 is a top plan view of the bar member shown in Figure 18; and

Figure 20 is an elevational view of the device of the present invention shown in a position of use with portions of the bow string and arrow being broken away.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the arrow releasing device of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, consist in an upright support 22 having openings 24 and 26 for the fingers of the hand to a user. The support 22 has a pair of side edges 28 and 30 and end edges 32 and 34 connecting the adjacent ends of the side edges 28 and 30 together.

The side edge 30 of the support 22 has, intermediate its ends, a recess 36, the bottom of which is provided with a relatively wide notch 38, shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

A bow string engaging device, designated generally by the reference numeral 40, is positioned within the recess.

36. The device 40 includes an elongated bar member 42,

support 22 adjacent the side edge 30 and constitute means connecting the bar member 42 to the support 22 for rocking movement about a vertical axis from an operative po ition to an inoperative position.

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, inclusive, a pair of fingers 48 project from one side of the bar member 42 and are carried by the bar member 42. The bar member 42 extends along the side edge 30 of the support 22 with the fingers 48 projecting from one side of the support 22. Upon rocking movement of'the bar member 42, the fingers 48- move from the full line positions shown in Figures 2 and 3 to the dotted line Figure 4.

A trig er 50 is rockably connected to the side of the support 22 remote from the fingers 48 and is normally in releasable engagement with the latch element or lug' 44. The trigger 50 is connected to the support 22 by a pivot pin 52 extending through the lower end of the trig er 50 and anchored in the support 22. 1

The upper end of the trigger 50 carries a thumb rest 54 for engagement by the thumb of the hand of the user when the fingers of the hand of the user are ex-' tended through the openings 24 and 26 and grippingly engage the portion of the support 22 between the openings 24 and 26 adjacent the side edge 28.

Spring means is provided operatively connected to the trigger 50 for urging the latter to the position in engage ment with the latch element or lug 44. Specifically, this spring means consists in a leaf spring 57 having one end anchored on the side of the support 22 adjacent the trigger 50 and having the free end bearing against-a midportion 50, as shown most clearly in Figure l.

With reference to Figures 5 to 7, inclusive, a modified form of the arrow releasing device is shown and which includes an upstanding support 56 having finger open ings 58 and 60 inwardly of the one side edge 62. A bow string engaging device 64, including an elongated bar member 66. is arranged so that the bar member 66 extends along theother side edge 68 of the support 56. A pair of lugs 70 and 72-p'roject in spaced relation from the side of the support 56 and form supports for position shown in rocking or pivotal movement of the bar member 66 about pins 74 which extend through the lugs 70 and 72 and have their free ends anchored in the adjacent partsof the bar member 66, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5.

The bar member 66 is U-shapedin configuration and has .anotched lug 76 projecting from the bight thereof. The lug 76 constitutesa latch element carried by the bar member 66.

The same face of the support 56 which carries the lugs 70 and 72 carries a trigger 78 arranged in a vertical position and having its lower end connected by a pivot pin .8010 the support 56.

The midportion ofthe trigger 78 is normally in engagement with the latch element orlug Hand is seated in the notch provided in the latch element or lug 76, as shown most clearly inFigure 7. The upper end of the trigger 78 is'provided with a thumb rest 82 which forms a means by which a manually appliedforcemay be applied to the trigger 78 to shift the latter toward the support side edge 62 to disengage the trigger 78 from the lug 76 and permit rocking movement of the device 64 about the pivot pins 74 as an axis and permit escape ofa bow string from complemental recesses provided in the sides of fingers-84 and 86 facing the adjacent side of the-support 56 and adjacent projecting portions 88 on the support 56, such bow string being designated in Figures .6 and 7 by the reference numeral 90.

In Figure ;6, :the bar-member 66 is shown in full lines in the position in which the bow string 90 is secured between the fingers 84 and 86 and the projecting portions 88 of the support 56, the bowstring releasing position of the bar member 66 being shown in dotted lines.

With reference to Figures 8 and 9, a cocking mechanism has been added to the trigger release mechanism of the device shown in Figures 1 to 4. This cocking mechanism isoperatively connected to the trigger and is operable to shift the trigger from the position and disengage from the latch element or lug 44 to the releasable engagement position.

Specifically, this cocking mechanism comprises a keeper element 92 mounted on thesupport 22 for movement in one direction'out of engagement with the trigger and for movement in the other direction into driving engagement with the trigger and operable upon execution of movement in such other direction to shift the trigger to the position disengaged from the latch element orlug44.

The cocking mechanism includes spring means operatively connected to the keeper element 92, urging the latter in the direction'to shift the trigger to the position disengagedfrom the Mg 44, and also releasable holding means operatively connected to'the keeper ,92, holding the latter in the first direction position.

With reference to Figure .8, the cockingmechanism requires that the trigger be short as at 50 and the thumb rest54 eliminated.

The spring means urging the keeper element 92 to the position in which it shifts the trigger 50 to the position disengaged from the latch element consists in a bar spring 94 having one end bearing against the keeper element 92 adjacent a pivot pin 96 about which the keeper element 92 rocks in clock-wise and counterclockwise directions.

The keeperselement 92 ,is provided with a notch 98 on one side thereof engageable by a hook 100 on the lower end of an upright arm 102 which has its upper endconnected by a pivot pin 104 to the support 22, when the keeper element 92 has been swung in the counter-clockwise direction. A bar spring 106 has one end fastened to the support 22' and the other end hearing against oneside'ofthe arm 102 so as to bias the arm 102 in the counterclockwise .direction or the position in which :thehook 100 is;in engagement with the-notch 9.8;.on: the-keeper.-

A pin 108 projects from the lower end of the arm 102 and bears against one end of an L-shaped lever 110 connected by a pivot pin 112 to the support 22'. Another pin 114 projects from the outer face of the keeper element 92 and is engaged by the adjacent leg of the lever 110 so that upon application of a lifting force to the other leg of the lever 110,.the keeper element 92 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction from the dotted line position shown in Figure 8 to the full line position at which the hook enters the notch 98 and holds the keeper element 92 in the position virtually out of engagement with the trigger v50' and permitting the spring 57 to shift the trigger 50' into the position in which the lug 44 has its notch embracing the adjacent edge portion of the trigger 50'.

Upon engagement of the fingers 48 of the bar member 42, as related with respect to the device shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, and upon application of a downwardly pressing force to the portion of the lever above the support 22', the lower leg of the lever 110 bears against the pin 108 to shift the arm 102 so that the hook 100 no longer engages the notch 98. This permits the spring 94 to return the keeper element 92 in the clockwise direction to engagement with the upper end portion of the trigger 50' and to shift the latter to a position releasing the lug 44 so that the tension of the bow string causes the bar member 42 to execute rocking movement and to release the spring.

With reference to Figures 10 and 11, the form of the invention shown in Figure 5 is altered to eliminate the trigger 78, the pivot pin 80, the thumb rest 82, and the spring 83 which biases the trigger 78 to the position in which the lug 76 is engaged by a midpart of the trigger 78.

On the face of the support 56' opposite to the lug 76 and the bow string engaging device 64, the cocking mechanism, above described with reference to Figures 8 and 9, is mounted upon the support 56' with the only difference being that the support 56 is provided with an opening 116 through which projects a lug 118 carried by the device 64'. The lug 118 is engaged by the upper end portion of the trigger .50 until the keeper element 92 is swung in the clockwise direction .upon theapplication of a force to the horizontal leg of the lever 110 and consequence engagement of the pin 108 by the lower leg of the lever 110. The movement of the trigger 50' away from engagement with the lug 118 permits'release of the lug 118 so that the bow string 90 may bereleased from its engagement by the fingers 84 and 86,.asprevious- 1y described with reference to therdevice shown in Figtires 5 to 7, inclusive.

In the form of the inventionshown in Figures 12 to 19, inclusive, the arrow releasing device and cocking mechanism consists in an upright support 120 having finger openings122 and 124 and a wide notch 126 extending inwardly from the side edge remote from the openings 122 and 124.

A pair of lugs 128 and 130 project from one face of the support 120 adjacent the ,ends of the notch 126. A trigger release device in the form of an elongated bar member 132 is positioned within the notch 126 and is provided on one side with lugs 134 and 136 between and adjacent the lugs 128 and 130. A pivot pin 137 extends through the lugs 128, 134, 136, and 130 andforms a support for the bar member 132 about which the bar member 132 rocks or rotates as an-aXis.

A pair of book fingers 138 and 140, arranged in spaced relation, project from the other face .of the bar member 132 in opposed relation with respect to the lugs 134 and 136, respectively.

The cocking mechanism, includes a lever 142 having one end pivotally connectedtoian L-shaped element 144 and having its intermediate point pivotally connected to the upper end portion of thessupport 120 by a pivot pin 146.

7 Other lugs 148, 150, and 152 project from the one face of the support 120 inwardly of the notch 126 and in vertical aligned relation. Mounted for reciprocal movement in the lugs 148, 150, and 152, is a vertically disposed rod 154. The rod 154 carries intermediate its ends a trigger 156 having an upturned portion engageable in a hole provided in a lug or latch element 158 carried by the bar member 132.

The notch 126 in the side edge of the support 120 is provided with a slot or notch 160 which receives the latch element 158 when the bar member 132 is in the position in which the fingers 138 and 140 are transversely arranged with respect to the support 120. Upon downward movement of the rod 154 against the action of a coil spring 162, the bar member 132 is permitted to pivot about the pin 137 as an axis.

A projection 164 carried on the rod 154 has its free end slidably mounted upon the pivot pin 137 for keeping the upturned portion of the trigger 156 in alignment with the hole in the latch element 158 when ihe latter is in the notch 160. A pin 168 projects from the rod 154 above the trigger 156 and forms an abutment for a shoulder 168 on the lower end of the tubular member 170 which is slidably mounted upon the rod 154. A keeper element 172 is carried on the upper end of the tubular member 170 above the lug 148 and has a projecting edge portion engageable by a hook 174 provid-' ed on one leg of the L-shaped element 144.

This form of the invention has releasable holding means operatively connected to the keeper element 172 for holding the latter in the upward direction position after it has been raised there by its engagement with the hook 174 on the element 144 by the application of a downwardly moving force with the lever 142 to rock the same about the pin 146 as an axis and to raise the element 144, as in Figure 14. This holding means consists in an arm 176 having its lower end pivotally mounted upon the support 120 and biased by a spring 178 to a position in which a ledge 180 engages another side edge portion of the keeper element 172, as shown in Figure 14.

An abutment 182 is carried on the midportion of the lever 142 and is engageable with the upper end of the arm 176 upon the application of a further downwardly directed force (Figure 14) and is operable to shift the arm 176 to the position in which the ledge 180 normally engages the projecting side edge portion of the keeper element 172. This permits a spring 184, compressed between the shoulder 168 and the one lug 148, to drive the shoulder 168 and tubular member 170 downwardly to where the shoulder 168 engages the pin 166 and forces the rod 154 downwardly against the action of the spring 162 to a position in which the upturned portion of the trigger 156 is disengaged from the hole in the latch element 158.

When the device shown in Figures 12 to 19, inclusive, is employed as in Figure 20, the tension of the bow string 90 behind the fingers 138, 140 will effect their swinging movement to release such bow string 90 when the trigger 156 has been disengaged from the latch element 158.

This action is identical with the action of the release of the bar member 42 upon the application of a rearwardly directed force to the thumb rest 54 in the device shown in Figures 1 to 4, or the release of the bar member 66 upon the application of a rearwardly directed force to the thumb rest 82 in the device shown in Figures 5 to 7. Similarly, the release of the bar member 42 in the device of Figures 8 and 9 is efiected by the application of a downwardly directed pressure to the lever 110, and the bar member 64' is released in the device shown in Figures 10 and 11 by the application of pressure to the lever 110.

In Figure 20, the arrow releasing device is designated by the generic numeral 184, the bow string by the numeral 90 and an arrow by the numeral 186.

In use, either one of the arrow releasingdevices above described may be employed to releasably hold the bow string and to release the bow string 90 upon the application of force to the respective lever on the upper end of the support of the device, the lever of the device 184 in Figure 20 being designated by the numeral 188.

The cocking mechanism provided in the devices of Figures 8 and 9, Figures 10 and 11, and the devices of Figures 12 to 19, inclusive, enable the user of the arrow releasing device of the present invention to quickly and with facility cock the device to a position in which the associated fingers are held against movement until release of the associated trigger of the device.

What is claimed is:

1. An arrow releasing device comprising a support including a pair of side edges and an end edge connecting each of the adjacent ends of the side edges together, a bow string engaging device including an elongated bar member and a pair of spaced hook finers projecting from one side of said bar member and carried by said member, said device being arranged so that the bar member extends along one of the side edges of said support, means connecting said bar member to said support for rocking movement from an operative position in which said fingers are adapted to engage a bow string to an inoperative position in which said fingers are released from engagement with said bow string, a latch element on said bar member between said fingers, a trigger rockably connected to said support and normally in releasable engagement with said latch element, said trigger being operable upon application of a manually directed force thereto to be disengaged from said latch element and permit movement of said fingers to the inoperative position, a cocking mechanism operatively connected to said trigger operable to shift said trigger from the position disengaged from said latch element to the releasable engagement position, said cocking mechanism comprising a keeper element mounted on said support for movement in one direction out of engagement with said trigger and for movement in the other direction into driving engagement with said trigger and operable upon execution of movement in said other direction to shift said trigger to the position disengaged from said latch element, spring means operatively connected to said keeper element urging the latter in said other direction, and releasable holding means operatively connected to said keeper element holding the latter in said one direction position.

2. An arrow releasing device comprising a support including a pair of side edges and an end edge connecting each of the adjacent ends of the side edges together, a bow string engaging device including an elongated bar member and a pair of spaced hook fingers projecting from one s ide of said bar member and carried by said member, said device being arranged so that the bar member extends along one of the side edges of said support, means connecting said bar member to said support for rocking movement from an operative position in which said fingers are adapted to engage a bow string to an inoperative position in which said fingers are released from engagement with said bow string, a latch element on said bar member between said fingers, a trigger rockably connected to said support and normally in releasable engagement with said latch element, said trigger being operable upon application of a manually directed force thereto to be disengaged from said latch element and permit movement of said fingers to the inoperative position, spring means operatively connected to said trigger urging the latter to the position in engagement with said latch element, a cocking mechanism operatively connected to said trigger operable to shift said trigger from the position disengaged from said latch element to the releasable engagement position, said cocking mechanism comprising a keeper element mounted on said support for movement in one direction out of engagement with said trigger and for movement in "the other direction into driving engagement with said trigger and operable upon execution ofmovement in said other direction to shift said trigger to the position disengaged from said latch element, other spring means opcratively connected to said keeper element urging the latter in said other direction, releasable holding means operatively connected to said keeper element holding the latter in said one direction position, and hand actuable means operatively connected to said keeper element operable upon the application of a hand applied force thereto to shift said keeper element to said one direction position.

3. An arrow releasing device comprising a support including a pair of side edges and an end edge connectingeach of the adjacent ends of the side edges together, a bow string engaging device including an elongated bar member and a pair of-spaced hook fingers projecting from one side of said bar member and carried by said member, said device being arranged so that the bar member extends along one of the side edges of said support, means connecting said bar member to said support for rocking movement from an operative position in which said fingers are adapted to engage a bow string to an inoperative position in which said fingers are released from engagement with said bowstring, a latch element on said bar member between said fingers, a trigger rockably connected to-said support and normally in releasable engagement with said latch element, said trigger being operable upon application of a manually directed force thereto to be disengaged from said latch element and permit movement of said fingers to the inoperative position, spring means operatively' connected to said trigger urging the latter to theposition in-engagement with said latch element, a cocking mechanism operatively connected to said trigger operable to shift said trigger from the position-disengaged from said latch element to the releasable engagement position, said cocking mechanism comprising a keeper element'mounted on said support for movement in one direction out of engagement with said trigger and for movement in the other direction into driving engagement with said trigger and operable upon execution of movement in said other direction to shift said trigger to the position disengaged from said latch element, other spring -means operatively connected to said keeper element urging the latter in said other direction, releasable holding means operatively connectedto said keeper element holding the latter in said one direction position, and hand actuable means operatively connected to said keeper element and said trigger operable upon the application of a hand applied force thereto in one direction to shift said keeper element to said one direction position and in the other direction to shift said trigger to the position disengaged from said latch element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,417,791 Tyszkiewicz Mar. 18, 1947 2,637,311 Rose May 5, 1953 2,815,016 Kellogg Dec. 3, 1957 2,819,707 Kayfes et al Ian. 14, 1958 74.6 was or 

